Protest Poem (revised)

I am (not)

I am not a union member

I am a taxpayer

I am not a public enemy

I am a professional educator

I am not a free-loader

I am a hard-working employee of the State

I am not a moron

I am a person who teaches kids how to think critically as they emerge into adulthood

I am not a slacker

I am a person who works nights + weekends beyond the 40 hours a week I spend on campus for the low low bargain price of $44,500

I am not a “have”

I am a person who took on debt to the tune of $70,000 for the chance to become a professor

I am not a home-owner

I am a renter because I cannot afford a mortgage (see salary and debt above)

I am not a leech

I am a consumer in the Wisconsin economy who will have less money to spend because of this bill

I am not a supporter of this grotesque abrogation of workers’ rights

I am someone marching in Madison and raising a voice in the Rotunda

I am not a thug

I am an unarmed citizen of a democracy exercising my right to free speech and redress of grievances

I am not the problem

I am part of the solution if only You would listen

The original version (first draft) of this poem is on the Verse Wisconsin protest poem page. After I sent it in, I realized that it needed a bit of tweaking. 

I am so proud to be one of the protesters trying to make a difference...and when my mood shifts and hope wanes, all I have to do is read these poems on the Verse Wisconsin site to feel better. 

All across Wisconsin there are people working to make this state a better place for all who live here--and our voices raised up together can change the tone of the dialogue. I have to believe that.